SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is forecasting South Dakota's 2013 winter wheat crop to be down 51 percent from last year.

Published: June 10, 2013
U.S. farmers and ranchers are competing in a very active international agri-food trade environment with many countries that invest significant public and private funds through a variety of programs to develop markets and promote their products. That is a primary conclusion of a major study just completed on behalf of several U.S. agri-food export market development organizations by Agralytica Consulting, Alexandria, Va.

“This is the first study to take an in-depth look at both competing export market development programs as well as the source and amount of funding,” said Shannon Schlecht, vice president of policy at U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), Arlington, Va. “Exports are vital to U.S. agricultural producers with 95 percent of consumers living outside our borders.

Bob Mercer, Capitol Correspondent

PIERRE -- The state Public Utilities Commission decided Tuesday it must try to further fix South Dakota’s regulations for sales of grains, sorghums, beans and oil seeds.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a comprehensive report on agricultural transportation in the U.S., the first ever of this magnitude. The report, Study of Rural Transportation Issues, was mandated by the 2008 farm bill and covers the four major modes of transportation commonly used by agriculture in the U.S.: truck, rail, barge and ocean vessel.